


Zeptember 2020

by sweetladyjane



Category: Led Zeppelin, classic rock - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:40:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 6,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26260540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetladyjane/pseuds/sweetladyjane
Summary: Responding to the prompt list of Zeptember 2020 with short fics
Comments: 5
Kudos: 16





	1. prompt list

Zeptember Prompts  
1: Love  
2: Underfoot  
3: Lemon  
4: Fool in the rain  
5: Black  
6: Tangerine  
7: Communication  
8: Middle earth  
9: Evermore  
10: Flood  
11: Confused  
12: Tour  
13: Mountain  
14: Heartbreaker  
15: Dazed  
16: Thrill  
17: Achilles  
18: Dragon  
19: Lion  
20: Bear  
21: Fox  
22: Band of Joy  
23: Yardbirds  
24: Goats  
25: Heaven  
26: Bliss  
27: Sunflower  
28: Last Stand  
29: Pie  
30: Thank you


	2. Zeptember 1: Love (Jimmy Page)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mention of death

why had he continued through all this trouble with fame and the fuss of people through a whole 11 years?

why had he left his fairly good prospects and education of ordinary schooling to pursue guitar further? 

why had he let himself run wild during those times when he knew better simply under the excuse of seeking creativity and reprieve?

why had he cried and cursed out the asshole who desecrated the beautiful sounding dragon tele that had taken him 4 days to paint in a feverish rush?

why had he been the only one who truly lived during the tours and not cooped up at home in domesticity?

why had he come back to this same industry and lifestyle that nearly killed him?

all of these questions had the same simple answer for Jimmy: he simply and helplessly fell in love with his music which made it impossible to ever give up.


	3. Zeptember 2: Underfoot (John Bonham)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: hinted nsfw content (masochism)

the "fun night out" planned for the after-show aftermath had taken quite a turn. at the start, the whole entourage was gathered around the table-spotted main dancefloor with even more dancers parading around them all in scant little outfits. drinks were flowing, other substances were available, music was pumping through the speakers, multicolored light were flashing, and everyone was having a good time.

now the noise was muffled behind the four walls of the second floor private room. there was dimmer yellowy lighting glowing through the room and shining on the exposed skin of the dancer who'd won the drummer's attention for the evening. she had the foot of her tall leather boot pressed over his chest as he lay on the floor beneath her. there was a matte black riding crop in her hand that she used to tilt his head back up to look at her. it was lucky that Jimmy hadn't landed a night with this girl.

she peered down at him with a smug lipstick smile and leaned down to speak to him: "now John, are you gonna be a good boy for me?"


	4. Zeptember 3: Lemon (John Paul Jones)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: none

jonesy walked hand-in-hand with his dear littlest daughter through the seaside groves near the vacation villa. a dry breeze blew through their hair and loose clothes, despite the curled grapevines that formed rows of fence around them. they moved closer to the cliff's edge, past tree branches abundant with vibrant oranges. the sun was beginning to set a pretty peach-pink out in the distance.

"Orange!" little Kiera exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the round fruit hanging over their heads.

"Yes, darling, it's an orange orange." he quipped.

they walked on a little ways further, the smell of the ocean growing stronger as the cliffside came into view. but something stumped his dear daughter as she halted her waddling steps with evident confusion on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Daddy what's that?" she pointed up to an oddly shaped yellow fruit dangling far above her small pointed finger.

jonesy followed her gaze and bit back a grin of amusement, "It's a lemon, sweetheart."

"Lemon!" Kiera smiled, taking her daddy's outstretched hand again and walking along.

"You know, Uncle Robert loves lemons." he informed her kindly as she continued cheering the new word over and over again.


	5. Zeptember 4: Fool in the rain (Robert Plant)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: a bit angsty

curls were being matted down onto his face and against his shoulders, soaking the cold rain water into his t-shirt. people rushing through the sidewalks with umbrellas over their heads looked at the blond man in confusion, a few recognizing his famous face. he should be used to it by now, but it was still an odd feeling being a well-known stranger to people as familiarity crossed their expressions.

but he also wasn't used to goodbyes, no matter how many times he'd done them to so many different people. some would be temporary and cheerful. others blue but hopeful. this one was a stormcloud of frustration over his head.

robert explained everything as nicely as he could, promising to return to the city and visit his temporary, chosen company-keeper again. both of them knew it wasn't something that would last long yet he somehow had the nerve to say "I love you" only to leave casually with the shrug of a shoulder a few days later. he honestly should've seen himself standing here on the street corner, left alone in the cold rain. if he'd been in the opposite position, he certainly would've stormed off too.


	6. Zeptember 5: Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: a little angsty

they all agreed to coordinate their appearances for once, a semblance of solidarity in their final go at it. black always seemed like a fairly gloomy color but it was easy to do and relatively fitting for the occasion. it was a rebirth and simultaneously a death.

robert was nervous as he'd been the first few shows when he hadn't grown into a stage persona. he fiddled with the top button of his neatly pressed and tucked black shirt. jonesy came up to him in similar garb and gave him a reassuring smile, patting him on the shoulder as though knowing he felt uneasy.

jimmy grinned with a quirk of his brows, his eyes hidden behind a pair of blacked out sunglasses and his contrastingly pale silver hair styled neatly. his layered suit seemed much too warm for the bright stage lights and body heat radiating from the audience, but he didn't seem to care.

they all livened and turned at jason's arrival, still partially seeing him as that little blond kid playing a drum kit at home with his dad. he was wearing his old black bowler hat. oh how the times changed.

each of them gathered at the sides of the stage. they all felt a familiar buzz under their skin at hearing and seeing the crowd packed in. before they realized, it was time to take the stage together one last time.


	7. Zeptember 6: Tangerine (Jimmy & Robert)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: none

he played this years ago with the Yardbirds, never quite able to write lyrics to complete the song. but robert only had to hear it once at that forested, bubbling creekside for the right words to come to him. they went back into the cottage together as the rain drizzled overhead to protect the precious guitar in jimmy's hand and get a journal to write down robert's ideas.

"what are we calling it?" jimmy asked, scanning over his bandmate's scrawled handwriting.

"well, what did ya call it before?"

"knowing that I'm losing you."

"shit, should I put that in there somewhere?"

"no, no, that was a working title and these lyrics are perfect." jimmy assured him.

"then shall we call it tangerine?"

the guitarist nodded slowly, "yeah it's simple. tangerine."

it was almost too good to be true, the way that their minds and souls were so intrinsically tied together. his old composition, left untouched for years, was only complete with robert's instant way with words. he shouldn't even be this surprised given the perfect synchronization of their performances. but it was yet another proof, the first that was done by just the two of them and as an original work. their bittersweet tangerine.


	8. Zeptember 7: communication

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: angsty

what happened to it? that strange magical, almost mind-reading quality they would all share when they played together, it was faded... maybe even gone. everyone simultaneously wanted to be there and also didn't want to. no one was in the right state of mind for recording new music.

jonesy had wanted to quit earlier, but something even besides peter's coaxing kept him there. he looked sadly to his rhythm section partner, seeing the candy bag of quaaludes just behind his bass drum. his musicianship hadn't worsened at all, bonzo was still the hammer or the gods. but it took more effort to achieve it and he acted differently now.

robert had struggled before with timing and signalling with jimmy much earlier in the take off of the zeppelin. now their roles reversed a bit. jimmy was hanging on, still playing in his normal style but he was a little out of his head and didn't always catch onto robert's blatant cues in time.


	9. Zeptember 8: Middle Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Robert Plant x reader  
> Warnings: none

"robert, are you ready yet?" I shouted from outside the shut bedroom double doors.

"yeah yeah, don't rush me!" robert's muffled voice whined.

the doors opened before me. there stood the heralded golden god, now a noble hippie prince. a fur cloak draped down to the floor, a loose yet elegant blouse was tucked into some medieval-looking trousers, suede boots came up to his knees, bronze celestial jewelry glittered over his body. I also noticed a fake sword pulled tightly to his roped waistband.

"robert... I'm not sure what to say." I professed, putting a nervous waver in my voice.

"you don' like it?" he frowned, looking down to his ornate outfit.

"I don't like that you didn't even bother to let me get a coordinated costume."

he chuckled in relief, posturing himself proudly in the majestic ensemble almost as though he were boasting to me. the white knight even removed his sword from the waistband and swung it around dramatically. I laughed along at his theatrics.

"who are you even supposed to be dressed up as?"

now he froze and looked offended, "you don't know?"

"nope, is it middle ages or middle earth-ish?"

robert rolled his eyes and went back into his boudoir with a sauntering, hip-swinging step. he turned with his palms on the doors and looked at me disappointedly just before closing the doors fully.

"see, this is why you don't get a matchin' outfit."


	10. Zeptember 9: Evermore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: John Bonham x reader  
> Warnings: none

I could tell there was something he wasn't telling me, just by the look in his eyes. he came home twenty minutes ago and was being a whole lot quieter than usual too. at first, it was refreshing and peaceful as I organized my stack of books up on the shelf. but then it just became eerie. what happened to the jovially raucous man I knew within the last few hours to make him act so differently?

"john, what's going on?" I finally broke the silence.

his eyes widened ever so slightly and he readjusted his seat on the couch, almost nervously.

"it's nothin' love, don't worry."

"john henry, you tell me what's going on right this minute."

the man sighed in surrender, "I know I said I'd relax on the drummin' idea but I got two offers today. they're real an' I think either could be very successful. one's tourin' temporarily with an act, the other's an original band I'd be the drummer for."

I gave him a thoughtful look, "I'm guessing you like the band idea better than the act."

bashfully, he nodded. "yeah, I just hope you're not mad 'cause then I won't take either of the offers. I don't want you unhappy or away from me all the time."

"you silly man," I smiled. "you think I would keep you from the one thing you can't resist doing?"

john's eyes looked up at me with a shining gleam of hope, "even if I'm away a lot?"

"of course, this wedding ring sort of means that were stuck together for evermore. band or not. tour or not."

his uproarious laughter filled the room as he got up to lock me in a tight, warm embrace and peppered kisses over my face. he lifted me up in his strong arms and spun me around the room. once I was let down onto the couch, he crawled up over me and promised to thank me properly for my kind understanding.


	11. Zeptember 10: Flood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: John Paul Jones x fem!reader  
> Warnings: a little angsty and soft

the album sales were skyrocketing, doing much better than the initial expectations. it was fantastic, a sure sign of success with audiences if they couldn't win over the stupid critics. once peter broke the good news to jonesy, and the others, it swept away any fleeting, doubtful misconceptions about their skills. but now there was fear for the future, what to do about the next album to keep this winning streak?

besides, that could only mean a tough tour was coming up. months of being far away, in several different time zones, feeling worn-out almost every night with sweaty stage clothes, eating whatever they could get along the road, sleeping in a different bed every night. it was tough not to be homesick for the comfort of everything back home.

the bags were packed, the instruments were packed extra carefully, the important documents were shoved into his pocket. jonesy was ready to set off only after giving massive, warm embraces to every member of his dear family. he could feel the weight in his heart piling up, like a dam about to break under pressure as a flood swept in behind it.

just as he was about to walk out the door, his hand was caught back and placed over his loving partner's stomach. his gait halted in place and pivoted around. the dam was damned, the flood tore it apart and was dripping down his cheeks as a smile helplessly formed over his face. leaving got harder every time.


	12. Zeptember 11: Confused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: vulgarity

"where in the hell is my luggage?!" the raven-haired guitarist fumed to his bandmates.

they stared all stared back at him the same way: wide eyes, raised brows, uncertain frowns, and blank stares. it was infuriating. jimmy was flushed scarlet and pouting angrily like a toddler. but neither robert, jonesy, nor bonzo would make that comment -- enough of his wrath would be employed when jimmy found out the truth.

"don't tell me they fucking lost it." he growled through his teeth.

"yeah, 'cause ya can't afford to spend an extra penny on clothes." bonzo chortled under his breath.

jimmy shot him an icy glare and paced down through the expansive hall. he ran a panicked hand through his hair, almost shaking as a nervous flutter flipped his stomach upside down. it was oddly worrying to the others how much this was bothering him. the instruments were already retrieved, it wasnt like another black beauty incident since all he would've lost were his sweaty clothes.

the distressed guitarist was muttering angrily at himself, shaking his head, and swearing at whoever was responsible for this mess. he leaned against a wall and slid down dramatically into a crouching seated position. his head was leaned helplessly into his hands and the sight was enough for robert to crack.

"pagey! come here, I think I can help." the singer hinted between stifled laughs.

he scowled and pushed himself up to his feet, "how the fuck are you going to fix this?"

"walk down the hallway a bit more, over behind the escalator." robert directed him, dimples showing in his cheeks as he failed to hold back a smile.

the rest of the band also started to crack smiles at seeing a grumpy jimmy stomping down the hall. he pivoted around to them, throwing his hands up in confusion. jonesy pointed to his side, where jimmy turned to find his luggage neatly tucked away behind the escalator.

"you goddamn motherfu-"

"jimmy! there are families in the airport!" robert gasped with the palm of his hand pressed to his chest.

he rolled his eyes as he dragged along his things and made his threat with a dark smirk: "fine. to be continued later."


	13. Zeptember 12: Tour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

birthdays weren't quiet. tours weren't quiet. the riot house was never quiet when they arrived. neither was bonzo. the four together was guaranteed chaos and only elevated by whoever thought it was a good idea to throw a motorcycle into the mix. not even jonesy was able to hideaway in his private room away from the noise.

alcohol was flowing, other substances were not-so-discreetly passed around, crowds of flashy people cheered, cake was partially distributed into hands, and music pumped loudly enough to drown out the shrill ringing telephones. jimmy was laid back on a couch moved out to the hallway, a girl under each arm. robert was singing along with bonzo drunkenly. jonesy was drinking down whiskey and smiling as he scoped out the scene.

the introduction of the motorcycle was the push over the cliff. bonzo immediately took to it, having been familiar with the workings of the machinery. he chuckled in delight at seeing the shining chrome and hearing the roar of the engine. once he was seated behind the handlebars, it was all over for the hallway carpeting.


	14. Zeptember 13: Mountain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

the scent of pine needles and last night's rain filled his nostrils as jimmy trampled a path through the windblown grass. he trailed after the flowery, blonde Pan who practically danced through the meadowlands. their path had gone from the small cottage up to the peaks of the rolling welsh mountainside.

robert had persuaded him into this idea the day before, stating that it would help with inspiration. something in his eager, pleading blue eyes made his offer impossible to refuse. his promise to carry the old acoustic guitar in its case only sealed the deal.

they made it up to a nice clearing after about two hours of trekking. jimmy sat down on a lichen-spotted, flat stone and finger-picked a few notes as he brainstormed a new song. he looked up to robert for approval but noticed his bandmate distracted with a fascinated look in his eyes.

following robert's gaze, jimmy noticed that robert's muse in nature was far more believable. the late afternoon november sun was beginning to set out in the distance and created a beautiful golden haze over the forest below. it was a lovely sight: evergreen trees still a dark shade of green while deciduous trees were splashed with varying shades of tanned bronze, bright copper, and muted gold.

"what did you say bron-yr-aur meant?" jimmy asked quietly.

robert smiled as he turned away from the view, "the golden breast."


	15. Zeptember 14: Heartbreaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: robert plant x fem!reader  
> warnings: none

robert knew who this girl was, and that he really shouldn't get involved. he'd rationalized it all out in his mind the moment he saw her on the dancefloor and recognized her as jimmy's choice guest their previous time around this city. but with one turn of her head and a come-hither look in her eyes pointed his way, robert was a goner.

she was the dictionary definition of femme fatale: effortlessly stunning, impossibly charismatic without saying a word, engimatically charming when she did choose to speak up, and never got too involved. plus, according to jimmy, the girl was even better behind closed doors. the guitarist warned him against it, knowing his soft-hearted, pisces moon-cancer venus, friend would get hurt.

yet, there he was, purposely lingering closer to the notorious heartbreaker. she danced circles around him through the night, like a boa constrictor twisting around its ignorant prey in the flashing lights. robert merely smiled and offered his usual swoon-worthy wickedness, shockingly no match to her own barbed tongue.

by the end of the party on the dancefloor, sweat beaded off robert's forehead and a pretty rosy color flushed his cheeks. his partner looked unfazed. he felt as though he simply had to have her, some sense of fascination about her gripping at him.

"come back with me?" he offered, his question sounding a little more desperate than he'd hoped.

she smiled and laughed, throwing her head back with a hand to her crimson-lined lips.

"what's so funny?" he implored like an upset little boy.

her head tilted to the side and she pouted at him, adopting the look of a sympathetic teacher.

"I think I'll spare you the anguish. you're not as... how do I put this? withdrawn? isolated, maybe? either way, jimmy can hide when he's hurt and you couldn't. you've got a big strong persona with the heart of a teddy bear, honey. it's a wonderful thing and I don't want to break it, no matter how much fun I'm sure you are. have a good night, robert."

she twirled around as her hand waved goodbye to him and her platformed feet headed out the door. robert stood back as others piled out after her in the wee hours of morning. for a heartbreaker, she seemed awfully kind.


	16. Zeptember 15: Dazed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john paul jones x reader  
> warnings: marijuana use

"I never took you for a bad influence, mr. jones." I teased, accepting the joint from between his fingers.

"why's that?" he asked with an outstretched lighter.

I cautiously lit up the end of it and sat back up on the hotel room balcony, "well... you're a lot quieter than the others so I didn't expect this."

the bassist chuckled, staring up at the night sky as tufts of white smoke puffed out from his lips. he turned to watch me every so often, making sure I was still doing okay as I felt lighter and lighter. my body was warm against the cool summer breeze, my mouth was less inhibited, and my mind wasn't so weighed down with worries. it was peaceful.

feeling freer and bolder, I leaned over to give him a kiss of gratitude on the cheek then rest my head on his shoulder. his arm looped around my waist in silent reply. we spent what felt like forever staring up at the twinkling stars above our heads and finishing off his joints. I turned to look at him, a star among the rest, and found myself in genuine disbelief at my luck.

he noticed my stare and laughed, "what's wrong?"

"I'm just really happy and I'm glad I'm here with you."

"it's just the weed, you're a little dazed..."

"and confused?" I quipped.

"I should've seen that one coming." he shook his head. "want to go back inside? don't think spending the night out here is too comfortable and I've got another idea if you're up for it."

shifting up from my seated position, I took his hand to accept his offer and smoothed down my clothes a bit. he delicately took the joint from me and squashed it with the toe of his shoe, assuring that I wouldn't need it to feel high in a few minutes.


	17. Zeptember 16: Thrill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john bonham x reader  
> warnings: a bit gloomy, existentialist maybe??? at the end

seaside wind blew softly across my face like cool silk in the star-dazzled night. my body may have been sitting in the rumbling, low-riding muscle car but my heart was soaring up to the moon. a little 8 track cassette tape of songs played gently through the speakers, its songs chosen to be ones john would sing to me sometimes.

his hand came to rest over my knee when the road continued on a straight path and he flashed a boyish smile at me. I felt a rush through my veins at the rough texture of his palm. his hand moved back over the shifter as the car approached a curve.

the ocean rippled along the edge of the road and sparkled in the celestial light. it was like living in a movie. the music changed to match the acceleration of the car as john sped through the end of the curve. my pulse rushed again as the wind picked up and made goosebumps rise from my skin.

we sped through the empty coastal roads like a fury in the night, but I wasn't scared. I had a blind trust in john, believing with all I had that I'd be safe with him. but I'd be happy to go out of this life like this: blissfully happy, racing heart, staring out at the beautiful view from my window, wind caressing my face, and being at john's side.


	18. Zeptember 17: Achilles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: robert plant x fem!reader  
> warnings: none

"rob, why do we have to do this?" peter sighed, looking out at the extensive line of hopefuls bustling outside the building and down the street.

"this can't be worse than jonesy's massive organ request or jimmy's request to take the camera crew to fuckin' scotland an' look like a corpse at the top of a mountain."

peter gave in with a grumble and sat down at the table beside his wild-haired charge. one by one, each potential guinevere filed in and followed along with the guidance of the hired casting director. they all glanced at robert with stars in their eyes, a few more obvious and bold about trying to catch his attention than others.

by the third hour, he and peter were both perched sleepily at the table. none of the auditions were particularly outstanding. maybe it was a hopeless endeavor after all. it just became an endless muddle of "name, age, say this, say that, show me this expression" from the casting director.

a lyrical voice called robert out of his sleepy haze and his eyes flickered up to the girl standing before them. her eyes sparkled like gems and her hair shined like a halo, even in the shitty office building lighting. she was evidently dressed uniquely to her taste with a free spirited air about her. a bashful smile eased across her lips.

robert didn't need to know anything more, he knew she was perfect. but he was absolutely captivated as she recited a few lines of keats and followed along with the director's posturing. she giggled like a tinkling bell as she discussed her interests in books, namely tolkien. that was the achilles heel for the singer. her audition was about to end, peter wishing her a nice evening as a dismissal like the rest of them.

"wait! tell everyone else to go please, I've made a decision." robert stood up, a bit more rushed than he'd hoped.

she smiled in disbelief from across the room, "really?"

"you've got the part, darlin', an' I'd like to take you out to a celebratory dinner if you'd like."

she nodded slowly, to accept his proposition. her fingers impulsively reached to twirl the slim ring on her other hand, butterflies fluttering through her stomach. robert observed her every little movement, more and more convinced she was a perfect guinevere.


	19. Zeptember 18: Dragon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: older!jimmy page x reader  
> warnings: a little vulgarity

the met wanted his dragon suit. that extravagant, embroidered, sweat-soaked, forty-year old, carefully-tailored, and undeniably iconic garb. it would have to be dry-cleaned at least five times to get the decades of grime out of it. that is, if either of us could find it.

I was rifling through the attic boxes and closets, opening up every garment bag with hope trembling in my fingertips after five hours of this task. jimmy was busy looking in his other potential storage places. we had an agreement to call the other should either of us find it and halt the search.

"how many goddamn dragons does jimmy need?" I muttered to myself, pulling out yet another jacket I'd never seen before with a twirled little figures of a dragons along its sleeves.

carefully, I packed it back into its bag and placed it off to the side. I delved back into my search with a sigh. probably could've figured out how to make my own freaking dragon suit with all this fuss.

here goes box number twenty-something. I tore open its bindings with the swipe of a box cutter knife and pulled apart the top flaps. a musk permeated the air the moment I opened it and suddenly I felt hopeful again. a little disgusted too since my nose instinctively turned away and I reached up to plug my nostrils. right after clearing up that top layer of thick plastic, my eyes caught sight of the telltale golden, red-orange threads of the back design.

I unlocked my phone to call, gently lifting the jacket between two fingers and hearing the click of being answered.

"jimmy I found it."


	20. Zeptember 19: Lion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: none  
> warnings: none, but alludes to a story called Rampage at the Riot House by brownskinsugarplum

"good evenin' dallas! happy halloween!" robert cheered to the crowd from behind the curtained wings of the stage.

his audience roared in response, summoning their golden god with their ear-splitting whoops. the band he hired for his tour was already set to go, wearing various costume pieces for the sake of festivity. warm yellowing stage lights shone over them, one focused on the vacant mic stand to accentuate the singer's absence.

robert was very secretive about the costume he'd put together from new orleans a few days before. no one from his traveling crew had got even a breeze of what he was doing. well they didn't really care until robert made a big deal about it, wagging the idea in front of their noses and then refusing to tell.

"let's see all your beautiful faces!" robert cheered once more before throwing himself into the limelight.

down to his shoulders, he looked the same as usual with his wavy, unruly, golden mane. below, he was dressed in silky, loose garbs that matched the tones of his hair almost perfectly. he prowled around on stage like a proud lion and even gave playful snarls to audience members here and there. upon crawling up to his mic stand, robert finally stood like a human, gave a shake of his hair, and greeted his audience once more.

"I have a funny story about this costume..." he began, beckoning his audience into silence as they listened in to his abridged, delicately salacious, tale from the zeppelin days.


	21. Zeptember 20: Bear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john bonham x reader  
> warnings: none

it was a melancholy day where the rain on the window and ever-muddled, cloudy sky perfectly matched the gloomy mood weighing down in my chest. I spent most of the late morning and afternoon shut up alone in the small library with a cup of tea. it warmed my hands through the oversized sleeves of the sweater I stole from bonzo's closet.

I rifled through the shelves for something comforting, having finished two books already. the house was, and most certainly felt, empty besides the turntable playing songs softly in the background. my only next objective was to sit down at the window and read through the hours until I could sleep away the blueness.

along my path over, arms swept up from behind me and captured me against a familiar strong chest. I twisted over to see a smiling bonzo. he gave me barely a second to greet him before he lifted me up so I had to hold myself up around his shoulders and torso. it was like being hugged by a giant, warm teddy bear and reassured that everything was going to be okay.

his lips pressed into my cheek, "you look cute in my sweater."


	22. Zeptember 21: Fox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john paul jones x artist!reader  
> warnings: none

we walked through the forest together, the autumn afternoon sun filtering through the gaps between leaves above our heads. it smelled of that familiar but indescribable, earthy aroma of the woods. a crisp breeze kissed our faces, sweaters keeping the rest of our bodies warm. dry, fallen leaves of red and gold crunched under our soft-shoed feet. it was a picturesque autumn day.

a few rabbits skipped merrily along our path, pausing our conversation momentarily. we talked of spring and what sorts of fruits we should have in the garden, john's old studio memories, what I did while he was away all summer. I smiled and turned away, shyly admitting that I missed him so much that I tried recreating his lovely visage onto canvas with paints.

"really?! not much of a model to paint, I'm afraid." he chuckled.

my eyes looked to him in disbelief, wondering how he didn't see himself how I did. deep, cold ocean eyes that sparkled with kindness. friendliness in his face, framed with sharp cheekbones. very kissable pale pink lips. tawny brown hair that shone red in the sunlight like fox fur.


	23. Zeptember 22: Band of Joy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: kinda jimbert???  
> warnings: none

"I'm looking for robert plant?" jimmy inquired.

"that's me." a young blond guy with his curly hair cropped over his shoulders raised his hand.

jimmy's brows raised in surprise, he didn't look much like the description of this powerful bluesy singer that was recommended to him. this guy looked so young, confident and yet a touch nervous at being questioned. he had the looks for a frontman though, so jimmy waved lightly as he walked back to observe the band's performance.

it was unexpectedly powerful, especially for a group with a hippie name like "band of joy". jimmy paid no mind to the underwhelming guitar and bass. his attention was caught between the heart-pounding drum beats and the howling vocals. gone was the blond kid's shyness as he leaned into the mic stand, his head tipped back with shut eyes and an almost orgasmic tone in his voice. it was impossible to turn away from his sultry, visceral performance. jimmy knew he found a new vocalist and drummer for his band.


	24. Zeptember 23: Yardbirds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: none  
> warnings: none

there was such a rush in performing, jimmy realized. sure he'd technically "performed" for the people in the studio but this was wholly different. there was an audience, a big audience, of people all staring up at him and his bandmates expecting a perfect performance from the first time. they also provided instant gratification with their whooping, applauding, cheering, and smiling faces.


	25. Zeptember 24: Goats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: none  
> warnings: none

robert sat at the green hillside just a little ways off from the cottage. he'd come up here to shepherd his animals back to their barn, but found himself distracted. practically all of his animals were easily corralled back to their respective pens and coops, all except the stubborn goats.

the little baby goats he recently acquired were prancing around the overgrown tresses of grass. a braver few kicked their way across the meadowland to him. they began nipping at his clothes and bleating impertinently at him as though trying to complain about something.

it only made robert chuckle as he lifted the boldest one up into his lap, giving it a kiss and gently scratching atop its head. he talked back to the cheeky little imp. only the dimming sunlight of the oncoming night distracted him from his conversation with the little goat. robert picked it up gently in his arms and stood up, herding the rest of them back home down the hill.


	26. Zeptember 25: Heaven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john bonham x reader  
> warnings: bittersweet

there were no pearly gates, lavish marble pieces, or streams of golden light here. just rolling hills, a faded red barn, chicken wire, cows, a quaint home, rain-soaked vegetation, and john. it was all I needed, and wanted, to feel happy.

"y/n! took you long enough." he called, seeing me walk up the driveway.

I wrapped him up in an embrace and he lifted me up off my feet, swinging me around until I yelped in surprise. he gave me a big kiss as he let me down, caressing my face lovingly with a sunny sheen in his hazel eyes.

"I missed you."


	27. Zeptember 26: Bliss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john paul jones x reader  
> warnings: hinted nsfw but not really

it was a peaceful night: the day's tasks were done, the sunlight dimmed down over the faraway horizon, a quietness blanketed over the whole house, and the two of us were left to relax between the sheets of the warm bed. jonesy was sitting up against the headboard with a book in his hands. I reclined against my pillow and observed him silently, studying every detail of his focused face.

his silhouette was illuminated with the rich, yellow-ochre light of a candle, a golden sheen in his hair like a halo over the crown of his head. it was like staring at a living oil painting, but even more beautiful. john looked so at ease with his careless posture, lightly-smiling face, and half-lidded eyes.

as the seconds went by, I got a terrible impulse to ruin this perfect picture. I raised myself up on a propped arm and broke his focus with a sultry kiss to his neck. my fingers laced into his hair, tugging lightly at it to ensure that I'd drawn his attention away. I felt his touch drop from the pages of the book to my torso, pulling me closer and redirecting me up to meet his lips.

he only muttered a hushed remark to me as he brought me nearer: "I hope you didn't plan on going to sleep soon early, darling."


	28. Zeptember 27: Sunflowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: john bonham x reader  
> warnings: none

we wandered through the garden together on the cool early autumn day, towing along small clippers and wearing gloves over our hands. it'd been a while since john had been home to see the blooms he helped plant and nurture. our attention was on the flowers today, the fruit trees a larger project for when john felt up to the task.

he peered down, slowing his walk as he studied each of the different flowers. there were little purple-yellow pansies, bronzy marigolds, pure white daisies, cheerful yellow roses, deep purple tulips, and in the far back were the sunflowers.

"these look a bit odd, like they were mixed with dandy-lions." john commented.

a smile grew across my lips, "that's because I bought these while you were gone. they're called teddy bear sunflowers."

"interestin', I never 'eard of 'em."

"they look fluffy since they have double the blooms of the regular kind. I got them since you remind me of a big teddy bear too."

"that's awful sweet of you." he smiled, drawing me into a close embrace with an arm over my hips.


	29. Zeptember 28: Last Stand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: none, whole band together  
> warnings: angsty, poor jonesy

"I'm done, I can record this album if everyone gets their shit together but I'm not going on tour."

the rest of the band, plus peter, were rendered into a sobering silence at the usually-quiet bassist's outburst. he'd drawn everyone aside after the end of the not-so-successful recording session, clearly pissed off. the change in the band dynamic was undeniable and they were clearly drifting apart. every member was partially responsible for it, but jonesy was the only one who finally pointed out what everyone else was thinking.

"ya can't just leave, things just aren't goin' smoothly today." the drummer pleaded.

"no, it's not just today." he retorted. "sure, we all get high and do stupid things for fun. but it's gotten to the point where sometimes we can't even play through a song. so again, get your shit together or I'm leaving."


	30. Zeptember 29: Pie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pairing: robert plant x reader  
> warnings: none

"bloody hell, what's goin' on here?" a startled robert called.

he'd only just come back inside after spending the previous hours tending to the animals and traipsing through the overgrown grass with strider. I gave him a bashful smile when I turned around from the oven. different kinds of pies were carefully arranged over the entire kitchen peninsula, some cooled off by now while others were still steaming.

"well I started all this since we had loads of apples that were starting to get mealy and tons of mashed pumpkin in the fridge and I made a few with chicken... and then I had a lot of leftover pie dough and kept at it."

robert nodded hesitantly, not quite following along with my logic. "as lovely as this is, y/n, how in the world 're we gonna finish all this?"

"give them out to neighbors?" I suggested.

he sighed then smiled. "well c'mon then love, we'd better get a move on since all our neighbors are at least a mile away."


	31. Zeptember 30: Thank You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not band-related at all

for every single one of the likes, comments, reblogs, requests, and all. it helps keep me motivated to write and gives me outside perception of my words. I adore your new ideas and prompts in my inbox, wondering what I could do to creatively fulfill each one. I read over every comment and each reacting tag, a smile on my face from them. I'm inspired by you all and the musicians we love. so if I hadn't said it enough before, thank you for reading.


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